Into Shelley’s Belly: the 5 Best Pizzas From Non-Pizza Joints

Here’s the deal. You’re moving to a private island with Kathy Ireland, Zac Efron, a couple miniature horses and a chef who can only cook one thing. What’s it going to be? Well, obviously, as you probably know from the title of this post, it’s pizza. It’s an ubiquitous people pleaser. For centuries it has served as a war deterrent, cultural policy catalyst, and often times the perfect potion for a true romance. And we all know that Dallas has some amazing pizza joints, but there are also some solid pies coming out of restaurants not necessarily known for their pizza. I scoured the ends of this earth for good pizza, and here’s what I found.

1. Capitol Pub
The GTO Pizza was born out of a beer dinner and named after the Guatemalan dance club that occupied the area of the bar where those beer dinners are held. Yes, there used to be a saucy South American Dance club that was certainly responsible for a lot of sweat-covered sexiness back in the day. How do you think Patrick Swayze got so deliciously dirty? Capitol Pub’s GTO Pizza is new on the menu, and it was placed there by insistent demand of anyone who was lucky enough to try it. It starts with house-made dough, topped with a spicy marinara, spicy Jimmy’s Sausage, caramelized onions that are cooked down in Guinness, and covered with fresh oregano and basil. The toppings are deftly layered, creating a wild array of flavors without being overcrowded. With the crispy crunch of the crust, this pizza is not to be missed.

Cosmic Cafe’s Pizza Mystica

2. Cosmic Café
Cosmic Café’s Pizza Mystica is a vegetarian beast. With meaty chunks of black bean, hearty vegetables, crunchy onions, sun-dried tomatoes, the Mystica also has a thick, rich tomato sauce lying on top of a crispy naan crust. It’s all held together by a light drizzle of melted mozzarella cheese that keeps the mound of robust ingredients together as you plow through each bite. It’s a bit like a sloppy-joe pizza that’s very healthy and full of exciting textures and flavors.

Nova’s ham and Texas peach pizza (left)

3. Nova
The seasonal ham and Texas peach pizza is a tantalizing and understated pie. The charred peaches ooze a beautiful sweetness next to the salty chunks of ham, and the pie itself has just the right thickness. The pizza is bright and penetrating in its delivery, deep through the wild nothings of your pizza loving soul. You’ll find yourself wrapped neatly beneath that magical oak tree, where pizzas grow like sprouts in the year of the endless spring. Get it now while peaches are in season. Nova likes to maintain freshness, so they won’t be shipping out of season peaches from China, or Bolivia, or Canada or wherever. The dough is enhanced with a bit of Texas honey and the decadent Scamorza cheese comes from the beloved Mozzarella Company.

Nonna’s white pizza

4. Nonna
I know, Nonna is an Italian restaurant, so it’s only natural I’d consider them for this list. The thing is everyone knows Nonna for chef/owner Julian Barsotti’s amazing handmade pastas; fresh, highbrow ingredients; and all the other manner of various romantic sensations his cooking puts in your mouth. The chef, with all his astounding prowess, carries that incredible adeptness all over his pizzas. The white pizza of little neck clams, sweet onion, panna, and fresh herbs sings with all beauty of Nonna’s exquisite pasta dishes. It’s delicate, bold in its flavor, and just damn sexy in every way.

Eatzi’s hot copa pizza

5. Eatzi’s
I don’t recall exactly when Eatzi’s started carrying pizza on Fridays, but I learned quickly not to enter the shop at the wrong time on a Friday night. They make the pizzas in rapid succession just to keep up with eager crowd handing over their receipts to claim a pie. The “Hot Coppa” is a simple and delicious pizza. It’s made with crust, cheese, and the finest quality cappicola. It’s simple and wildly popular. (Eatzi’s sells this pizza between 4 and 9 p.m. for $10 only.)

Be true to your spirit and get some pizza. A life worth living is a life that follows the heart (aka pizza). Be fresh, live free, and don’t fear bears.